Stafford School

staffordschool_5532176a32.jpg

Title

Stafford School

Subject

Schools
Alabama Female Institute
First Presbyterian Church of Tuscaloosa

Description

The First Presbyterian Church of Tuscaloosa established in 1833 the Tuscaloosa Female Institute to educate young white women at the time when there was no public education for them. The building was located on the southwest corner of 9th Street and 22nd Avenue.  Reverend William H. Williams served as the principal as well as pastor of the church. In 1836, ten teachers were supervising 184 pupils.  The University of Alabama did not allow for female education but did allow some of these students to attend lectures.  One of the teachers, Maria Belle Brooks, married  university professor, Samuel M. Stafford, and they  ran the school from 1857 to 1873. 

The Staffords purchase the property in 1876 and named it the Stafford School.  It served as a private boys' school until 1885.  The last principal of Stafford School was Professor William H. Verner.  He was principal until 1885. 

In 1885, the public school system, known as Tuscaloosa Graded Schools, was organized by the Board of Education.  The city purchased the building in 1885 for $10,000 from Mrs. Stafford.  It was used for 70 years as a public school unitl is was razed in 1955.

Stafford School was both for elementary and high school students until 1910 when the high school moved to a different building.  A new elementary school called Stafford was built on the corner of 15th Street and Queen City Avenue in 1954.  It closed in 2001 and Annette Shelby Park was built on the site.

Source

Tuscaloosa News Archive

Date

Circa 1830

Contributor

Jennifer Spraggins (Description)
Betty Slowe (Description)
Elizabeth Bradt (Description)

Type

Photograph

Identifier

432

Coverage

Tuscaloosa (AL)

Original Format

Photograph

Physical Dimensions

7 inches by 5 inches